Wrench



WRENCH Filed Marh 24. 19:52

Paeniod Apr. 1I, A1933- rcsmn n. smeg m realisation died Iareh as, denial He. @hda-ded.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches and pertains particularly to a dexihle wrench. D `'llhe primary obgect oi the present invention is to provide a wrench which may be empio ed in' locations dicult of access so that t e turning of a nut or stud-bolt may be readily edected, the wrench being of an elongated exible character whereby it may readily rotated although bent or curved.

vide a wrench having an elongated flexible .portion adapted tobe readily rotated while in a bent or curved condition and of a novel 15 construction whereby it may be readily and economically assembled.

'lhe invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description'talren in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specication, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformityfwith the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modications mark no material departure from the salient features et the invention as expressed in the appended claims. i

1n the drawing Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the wrench embodying the present invention, showing a socket head applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a' longitudinal sectional view taven on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

1 takerldn the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure i is a view in side elevation of an element of the wrench structure;

Fi re 5 is a view oi one type of handle provlded Jfor the operation of the wrench.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals ofA reference indicate corres ending parts throughout the several views, t e numeral 1 indicates a handle member' which. as shown, is -in the form of an elongated tubular body having the major portion of the passage therethrough of enlarged diameter to form the chamber 2 and a short portion thereof of reduced diam- 0 eter to form the guide 3.

` nal portion 14; and a transverse re 3 is a view in transverse section v rlhe end ot the chamber 2 where it ovens throu h the end or" the handle, is interiorly three ed as indicated att and has normally secured therein the threaded nut sleeve 5,- a portion of which is of olygonal outline, as indicated at 6 to facilitate the engagement of a wrench therewith. ,A

Secured in the outer end of the reduced portion 3.0i the handle assage, is one end of a flexible tube 7, the ot er end ofwhich is secured in any suitable manner in a sleeve 8, the interior wall of which has formed therein the circular channel 9.

Extending through the handle 1 is a shaft l0 which has the two collars 11 and 12 secured in spaced relation thereon, which collars position within the chamber 2, one en-i gaging the end wall of the chamber where the same opens into the passage 3 while the other is engaged by the inner end oi the sleeve bolt 5. That `end oi the shaft 10 adjacent the collar l1 or at the forward end of the handle 1, extends into the exible tube 7 and is transversely slotted as indicated at 13, while the other end ci the shaft extends a substantial distance beyond the nut 5 and. is provlded with the polygonal shaped termipassage adjacent thereto. Within the flexible tube 7 is a dexible shaft which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 16 and which is made up of a plurality of units 17 each of which `has one end slotted and its other end provided with a longitudinally extending tongue.

The slot of each of the elements 17 is ndicated b the numeral 18, while the tongue of each e ement is indicated by the numeral 19. As shown the elements 17 are assembled by positioning the tongue of one in the slot of another. t will be seen, of course, that the element 17 nearest the slotted end of the shaft 10 will have its tongue positioned in the slot 13 ofthe shaft, while the element at. the opposite end of the dexible shaft will have its slotted. end disposed to receive the ton e end 24 of the head 20.

e terminal sleeve 8 carries a head 20 which is of polygonal cross sectional designas shown, and integral with this head is a stem 21 which has an annular groove 22 'entrar eprice narnawnr. i

formed therein and this stem when inserted into the head 8 has the groove 22 thereof brought into a register with the groove 9 in the wall of the passage in the sleeve and connection is effected between the sleeve and the stem b means of a split ring 23. The inner end ol the stem 2l is formed to rovide a tongue 24 which engages in the s ot of the adjacent element 17. lt' will thus be seen that the head element 20 is connected with the shaft l0 by a ilexible union which facilin tetes the turning of the head when the shaft is turned even though the tube 'I may be bent or curved.

Upon the head 20 there is shown a socket element 25 which is detachal-y connected therewith as shown, and it w' of course, be readily apparent that this may be replaced by elements of diierent sizes or by a wrench of the character wherein a polygonal extension is provided for engagement in a socket in a bolt or nut. y

The outer 'end of the shaft 10 is squared as indicated at 14 so that a wrench of a suitm able character may be readily connected therewith, such for example, as the wrench which is shown in Figure 5 and is indicated enerally by the numeral 26. This wrench 1s of the type having a rotatable central portion 27 which is designed to rotate in the surrounding portion 28 and with which it has ratchet connection. It will, of course, be a parent that in the place of this Wrench 26 t ere may be employed a wrench having the same t of head but without the handle 29 which 1s here shown, or an ordinary jaw v'lreflch may be coupled with the end 14 of the s a The passage 15 through the shaft 10 is provided/for the reception of a'bar or rod such as is indicated by the numeral 30, by

. which means a suitable leverage may be obtained for turning the shaft and the nut with which the unit 25 is en aged.

It will also be ready apparent that in addition to mountin a socket Wrench upon the head 2O other too such as screw-drivers, drill chucks or the like may be readily connected therewith.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A tool of the character described comprising a flexible tubular housing, a handle connected at one end with said housing and having a passage therethrough, a portion of said passage bein of relatively lar e diameter and opening t rough the end o the handle remote from the housing, a rigid shaft ex'- tending through said handle and having a pair or' collars thereabout located in the enlarged portion thereof, a sleeve but remoreably engaged in. the handle at the outer thereof and engagh. one of said collars, end of said sh t J said sleeve nut Lacasse an operatin implement therewith, a iiexible shaft extending through said housing and having one end connected with the rigid shaft, a sleeve connected with the housing at its other end, and a head member having a reduced stem portion rotatably mounted in said sleeve and coupled with the adj acent'end of the iiexible shaft.

2. A. tool of the character described, oomprising a tubular Hexible housing, a flexible shaft disposed in said housing to rotate therein, a tubular handle member having one end of lthe housing secured thereto against rotation with the shaft, a rigid shaft rotatably mounted in said handle and extending from one end thereof into said housing and having connection at the said end with the exible shaft, the other end of said rigid shaft extending from the other end of the handle and being adapted to facilitate the attachment of an actuatmg member therewith, means carried by the rigid shaft for limiting its longitudinal movement in the handle, means carried by the handle in said last end and enl gaging the last mentioned means for facilitating the removal of the rigid shaft from the handle, a sleeve mounted upon the other end of the housing and securedthereto, a split ring disposed in a recess formed in the inner wall of said sleeve, and a head having a cylindrical lportion rotatably mounted 1n said sleeve an having a oove in the wall of the cylindrical portion 1n which said split ring is engaged, said cylindrical portion of the head havin connection with the adjacent end of the flexi le shaft to be turned thereby.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto aix our signatures.

JOS. B. SMITH. JAMES HATHAWAY SMITH. 

